42 U.S.C. § 7251: General authority

To the extent necessary or appropriate to perform any function transferred by this chapter, the Secretary or any officer or employee of the Department may exercise, in carrying out the function so transferred, any authority or part thereof available by law, including appropriation Acts, to the official or agency from which such function was transferred. The Secretary of Energy and the Administrator for Nuclear Security shall review and, to the extent practicable, revise the Department of Energy Acquisition Regulation and other regulations, rules, directives, orders, and policies that apply to the administration, execution, and oversight of the missions and operations of the Department of Energy and the National Nuclear Security Administration to improve and streamline such administration, execution, and oversight. Streamline business processes and structures to reduce unnecessary, burdensome, or duplicative approvals. Delegate approval for work for others agreements and cooperative research and development agreements (except those that the Secretary or Administrator determine are high value or unique) to the lowest appropriate officials and streamline the approval processes. Establish processes for ensuring routine or low-risk procurement and subcontracting decisions are made at the discretion of the management and operating contractors while ensuring that the Secretary or Administrator apply appropriate oversight. Assess procurement thresholds as of the date of the enactment of this Act [ Jan. 2, 2013 ] and take steps as appropriate to adjust such thresholds. Eliminate duplicative or low-value reports and data calls and ensure consistency in management and cost-accounting data. Actions to otherwise streamline, clarify, and eliminate redundancy in the regulations, rules, directives, orders, and policies described by subsection (a). Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [ Jan. 2, 2013 ], the Secretary and the Administrator shall provide to the appropriate congressional committees a briefing on the review conducted under subsection (a), including the status of such review and any actions taken or planned to be taken to improve and streamline the regulations, rules, directives, orders, and policies described in such subsection. the congressional defense committees [Committees on Armed Services and Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives]; and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives.”